A Study of the Book of Mormon

Mosiah 27:8-17 These verses contain the account of an angel that came to stop Alma the Younger and the sons of Mosiah on their course of destruction against the Church. The main question that I have as I read these verses is: what about this scenario merited the intervention of an angel? Angels are not the usual form of communication from heaven. There are several reasons that I feel angelic intervention was merited in this instance. Verses 8 through 10 explain how they were rebelling against the church in secret. Given the family dynamics, that both parents of Alma and the son of Mosiah were the heads of the church and the state, it gave them all the more power to destroy what their fathers were trying to build and protect.  Verse 14 offers another reason when the angel explains that Alma, the elder, had been praying for his son that he might "be brought to the knowledge of the truth." It wasn't just Alma that had been praying for this though, and just because Alma was ...

Mosiah 13:1-10 King Noah commands at the start of this chapter that Abinadi be taken, bound, and put away. The king discounted the prophet as a mad man, stating that he had no more business with this "fellow." Perhaps, but really what seems to be going on here is that Noah is being reminded of things that he already knows to be wrong. What is most fascinating about these verses is the power of the priesthood authority that is manifested as Abinadi uses it to deliver the message which he was sent to give. Guards attempt to lay hands upon him to take him away. He withstands them with words, the words of God, and it is so profoundly received that they who should have taken him away will not touch him. Later, his countenance begins to shine "with exceeding luster, even as Moses’ did while in the mount of Sinai, while speaking with the Lord." Once Abinadi comes to realize that he has a captive audience, or that they cannot prevail against him at that time, Abinadi helps ...